Building a winning digital transformation strategy in the Middle East
6 minute read | Article | Leadership Technology Workforce planning | Information technology sector
The Middle East is undergoing a historic digital revolution. With Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, the UAE’s National AI Strategy 2031, and recent high-profile investments in AI. Adding to this momentum, Donald Trump’s recent visit to the Middle East in 2025 highlighted growing international interest in the region’s AI and digital transformation initiatives. Governments and businesses alike are doubling down on Generative AI adoption, automation, and smart city projects, making tech talent in the GCC more crucial than ever. Yet, despite this enthusiasm, EY reports that 90% of organisations remain in the pilot phase of AI adoption, struggling to scale beyond siloed experiments. The missing link? A clear, actionable digital transformation strategy in which aligns with business goals, leverages data effectively, and secures the right talent.
As Oliver Kowalski, Managing Director for Hays Middle East notes: “AI is transforming everything—from business models to how employees work and how processes are optimised.”
Here’s how leading Middle Eastern businesses are building winning digital strategies in 2025:
Traditional ROI metrics often fail to capture the broader value of technologies like AI and machine learning. Especially in a region where digital acceleration is becoming synonymous with national transformation agendas (e.g. Saudi Vision 2030 or UAE’s Digital Government Strategy), leaders must adopt a more holistic lens.
In addition to financial and customer-driven KPIs, consider talent-related metrics — such as workforce agility, digital literacy, and employee retention, in order to measure transformation success more accurately.
Explore the latest GCC Salary Guide for insights on in-demand AI and tech roles across the region.
In the Middle East, where sectors like fintech, energy, and public services are undergoing rapid digitisation, a successful transformation strategy must align with the wider business vision — not just IT goals.
Whether your goal is to scale AI across a banking operation or improve patient outcomes through healthtech, your digital strategy should be an enabler of broader organisational change, not a standalone tech upgrade.
Generative AI is only as strong as its data foundation.
A successful digital transformation strategy in the Middle East starts with one essential element: quality data. According to insights from our latest report, The Future of Work, Nadine Wirkuttis highlights that organisations must spend considerable time and investment on “cleaning and organising data... to ensure it is in the right format and the right place to deliver the greatest impact.” Without it, even the most advanced AI tools fall short.
Many organisations across the GCC are still dealing with fragmented, unstructured data — a major barrier to scalable AI adoption. But this isn’t just a tech challenge; it’s a talent one. Skilled data engineers, cloud specialists, and AI consultants are key to building strong data foundations.
Explore our KSA Salary Guide for insights on the most in-demand AI and tech roles across Saudi Arabia.
Technology is often mistaken for a quick fix. But true transformation goes far beyond simply adopting AI or automation tools.
AI isn’t a single solution. It’s an ecosystem of technologies that must work together. To succeed, organisations must first invest in digital literacy, phase out legacy systems, clean and structure their data, and set clear ethical frameworks for AI use.
According to Oliver Kowalski, most companies are just starting to figure out what AI can actually do for them—and there’s still a long road ahead to really tap into its' full potential.
However, not every company needs cutting-edge AI. Some just require basic cloud migration or cybersecurity upgrades first.
To drive real impact, your digital transformation strategy must go beyond short-term fixes or simply upgrading technology. In the Middle East, where sectors like finance, energy, and government are accelerating innovation, the most successful organisations are those tackling business-wide challenges with bold, future-focused roadmaps.
According to McKinsey, if your transformation isn't delivering at least a 20% improvement in EBITDA, it likely lacks ambition.
Technology is accessible to all — but how you leverage it, and who you hire to lead it, will define your competitive edge in the GCC’s digital economy.
At Hays, we help organisations across the Middle East define and execute digital transformation strategies that deliver lasting impact. From workforce planning to sourcing AI-ready talent, we bring regional expertise and global insight to every engagement.
Download our latest report, The Future of Work: How AI is impacting your workforce or reach out to our expert team to start building your transformation roadmap today.
